Portable bowling ball cleaner



March 5, 1968 o. F. FALCKENBERG 3,371,365

PORTABLE BOWLING BALL CLEANER Filed March 16, 1965 INVENTOR. cke n berg BY 5 5 I Attorney 101 0H0 F. Fol

United States Patent ()fitice 3,371,365 PORTABLE BOWLING BALL CLEANER Otto F. Falckenherg, 3721 N. Greenview Ave, Chicago, Ill. 60613 Filed Mar. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 440,267 9 Claims. (CI. 15-97) ABSTRAT OF THE DISCLQSURE A portable bowling ball cleaner having a ball support with a vertical spindle upon which is mounted a suction cup and a curved ball encompassing wiper mounted over the ball and yieldable rubber bumpers disposed about the ball to prevent the ball from falling off the cup when the ball is rotating and serving to facilitate removal or placement of the ball with respect to the support.

This invention relates to a mechanism for cleaning a bowling ball and more specifically to a novel portable device which is adapted to be carried by the owner to the bowling alleys so that it may be used as a storage for the owners ball between plays and used to clean the ball for the next line.

The invention comprehends a bowling ball carrier and cleaner which is of simple and compact design and which is convenient to use thus facilitating cleaning of a bowling ball.

A general object of the invention is to provide a novel portable ball carrier and cleaner which is of light weight, durable construction and which is relatively inexpensive.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel bowling ball cleaner which is motor driven and incorporating a simple and elfective holding and guiding structure for the ball which permits easy insertion and withdrawal of the ball.

More specifically the invention contemplates the provision of a combination ball seat and drive connection in the form of a suction cup whereby the ball is simply deposited upon the cu to effect a driving connection and rocked and lifted to break the suction to eifect removal of the ball.

A corollary object of the invention is to provide a flexible driving and ball support connection which rotates the ball about a vertical axis, the ball being engaged by a scrubbing means which in the exemplified embodiment is adapted to be oscillated circumferentially of the ball, the ball being adapted to be reseated so that diflerent portions of the ball are wiped by the scrubbing means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel ball-guiding and positioning mechanism which engages the ball resiliently to stabilize its rotation and to help retain the ball on the driving cup.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel scrubber which comprises foldable parts which are interconnected in such manner that the parts are adapted to be adjusted to conform to the various ball sizes and which is swingable about an axis angularly related to the axis of rotation of the ball.

The invention further comprehends providing a ball bag which holds the ball cleaner and bowling ball and which is dimensioned to approximately the size of a conventional ball bag by locating various parts of the cleaner mechanism in a functional manner so as to admit the ball into the mechanism which confines and retains the ball during transport.

3,371,365 Patented Mar. 5,, 1968 These and other objects and advantages inherent in and encompassed by the invention Will become more readily apparent from the specifications and drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view partially broken away of the novel ball cleaning device;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the structure in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional View of the device taken substantially on line 33 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the bag andcleaning device, the cleaning device being shown within the bag.

Description of the invention In the drawings there is shown a ball cleaning device generally designated 2 which includes a generally fiat rectangular base 3 which may have a bottom Wall 4 made of press-board or similar light plastic material or even metal. The base wall 4 mounts at its corners upstanding supports 5. Each support 5 may be a tubular column structure and may be secured at its lower end 6 to the top side 7 of the bottom wall 4 by a screw 8 threaded thereinto, the screw 8 having a head 9 countersunk within the wall 4 through the bottom side ltl thereof.

A rectangular top wall 11 similar to wall 4 is carried at its corners from the upper ends 12 of the columns 5 and secured thereto as by bolts 13 threaded into the upper ends 12 of columns 5, bolts 13 having heads 14 overlapping the upper side 14 of the top wall 11.

The open space 15 between the top and bottom walls 11, A} accommodates a driving motor 16 which may be powered from a wall plug 17 and the running of the motor may be governed by a switch 18 in the line 20 between the motor 16 and plug 17. Of course, there is sufficient space provided between the top and bottom panels to accommodate a battery pack, not shown, for optional operation of the motor, it being understood that a smaller low voltage motor would thus be used of minimal power requirements. The motor 16 drives any conventional power train within the casing 23 as well known to those skilled in the art. The casing 23 is provided with a plurality of bosses 24 into which there are threaded bolts 25 which are countersunk into the top side 14 of the upper plate 11 whereby the motor and gear train are thus supported from the base structure. The motor and gear train have a vertical output shaft 26 which extends upwardly from the gear case 23 and through an opening 28 in the top wall 11 and has its upper end formed or provided with an annular shoulder 29 above wall 11 and above the shoulder has an integral pin 30 which extends into a central bore 31 in a vertical cylindrical core 32 of a rubber or elastomer ball holder 33.

The core 32 is coaxial with the shaft 26 and at its lower end 34 seats on the upper surface 35 of shoulder 29 which has a stub extension 36 extending into the core. The shoulder 29 stabilizes the elastomer core and provides an extensive support for the holder which is provided at the upper end of the core 32 with a large vacuum cup 38 having a convex bottom side and a concave upper ball receiving pocket 39 which is of a radius slightly smaller than the radius of the ball 40 supported thereby.

It will be realized that the deflection of the cup to evacuate the air causes the cup to more or less conform to the spherical pheriphery 41 of the ball 40 whereby the ball is releasably held or connected to the driving means. This type of connection is of course self-centering and yields with the ball so that the center of gravity of the baltl coincides with the vertical axis of rotation of the spindle 26.

Of course, the fore-going explanation presupposes that the base is positioned on a level surface. Since the instant unit is to be used under varying conditions, there are provided diametrically opposed sets of guides and stabilizers 45, 45.

Each guide assembly comprises a pair of resilient, preferably metal, bars 46, 46 each of which is an elongated flat strap although the shape is not critical. The pair of elements 46, 46 are arranged in a V and the upper ends 47, 47 are spaced apart to span a large circumferential area of the tlower area 48 of the ball. Each element 46 is provided at its upper end 47 with a rubber or elastomer bumper 49 which has stud screw secured or vulcanized thereto and projecting from its base end 50 and secured as by a nut 51 to the related element 46. The ball engaging end 52 may be blunted to provide a small surface area to engage the ball.

The lower ends 53 of the elements 46 are overlapped and pivot on a bolt and nut assembly '55 which includes a wing nut 56 for ready loosening and tightening thereof. The bolt of assembly 55 passes through an upstanding flange 56 of bracket 57 which has its base flange 58 suitably secured as by a single vertical bolt 59 to the top 14 of wall 11. Therefore each bracket 57 is adjustable about a vertical axis with reference to an optimum position of the guides in relation to the ball. The bumper pads 49 are preferably slightly spaced from the periphery of the bail and are adapted to engage the ball only if it tends to wobble on its axis of rotation.

In addition to the guides 45, there is provided a supplemental or auxiliary guide and stabilizer 62 which comprises a resilient standard 63 having a lower end flange 64 seated upon surface 14. Flange 64 has an elongated slot 65 directed transversely of the bail, slot 65 admitting a vertical shank 66 of a nut and bolt assembly which has a head 68 countersunk into the lower side of wall 11. Thus the standard :63 is adjustable toward and away with respect to the ball. The upper end 70 of the standard 63 is provided with a vertically elongated slot 71 which admits a threaded stud 72 therethrough, stud 72 being connected to the base end 73 of a rubber or elastomeric conical shaped bumper pad 74. A nut 75 threaded on stud 72 secures the bumper pad 74 by drawing up the base 73 of the bumper against the internal side of the standard while the nut engages the external side. The position of the bumper pad 74 is at approximately the diameter of the ball.

At the diametrically opposite side of the ball to the guide assembly 62 there is provided a ball scrubber means 77 which includes an upstanding bracket 78 having a vertical portion 79 and a horizontal base portion 80, the base portion being secured to the top side 14 of the wall 11 as by screws 81. The upper end 82 of the vertical arm portion 79 is provided with a vertically elongated slot 83 which admits a shank 84 of a bolt assembly 85. The bolt assembly 85 has a wing nut 86 threaded on shank 84 and the nut engages the back side 87 of the portion 79.

The shank 84 extends into and attaches to the base and attachment portion 88 of a scrubber or sweep generally designated 90. The shank 84 is adjustable vertically to a position wherein its axis is substantially diametnical with respect to the ball. The portion 88 has a concave ball receiving side 92 which substantially conforms to the contour of the periphery of the ball. The side 92 is faced by a yieldable ball scrubbing facing material 94 which may be either a fabric such as felt or sponge rubber faced with any suitable fabric. It is preferred that the facing material be elastic or deformable so that it may conform to the contour of the ball. One end 95 of the scrubber base portion is pivotally connected by a transversely extending bolt 96 to an extention or arcuate arm 97 which has a concave interior 98 with a ball-scrubbing material 99 similar to material 94.

The arm is adapted to be folded back to permit entry and exit of the ball. Then the arm is pivoted to extended position as seen in the drawings.

While the ball is spinning the wiper is manually oscillated back and forth to cover a large area of the ball. The ball is periodically repositioned by being lifted off the suction cup so that the entire ball may be wiped.

The ball cleaning device is encased within a close confining bag 100 which is somewhat of cubical shape having a bottom portion 101 which seats the base. Bag 100 has side and end portions 102, 103 and a top 104. The end portions 102 and top are split and fastened together with any fastening means such as a Zipper 105. The upper ends of the sides 102 are provided with handles 106.

Thus it will be seen that a novel, portable and effective ball cleaner has been provided and that the foregoing description is of an exemplary structure and that various other embodi-mnts of the invention will now become readily apparent to those skilled in the art within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bowling ball cleaning device comprising a base, a ball support and drive mounted on the base for rotation on a substantially vertical axis, and a ball wiper supported over the periphery of the ball for wiping the ball as the ball is being rotated, said support comprising a vertical shaft, and a suction cup of elastomer material on the shaft having an upwardly facing concavity for vacuum grasping the ball.

2. A bowling ball cleaning device comprising a base, ball driving and support means on the base rotatable about a substantially vertical axis, a plurality of ball guiding abutment means extending upwardly from said base about said support means for engaging a rotating ball on said support means, and ball wiping and cleaning means positioned for engagement with a ball mounted on said support means, said support means comprising a suction cup of elastomeric material and an elastomeric core beneath the cup permitting lateral deflection of the cup.

3. The invention according to claim 2 and said ball cleaning and wiping means comprising a structure having an arcuate complemental ball engaging surface, said structure pivotal about an axis angularly related to said axis of rotation of said ball driving and support means.

4. In a bowling ball cleaning device, a base, a driver mounted on the base for rotation about a vertical axis, comprising a suction cup mounted on the driver, providing a resilient support and driving connection for a ball, a standard supported from the base in laterally spaced relation to the driver, and a wiper structure pivoted to the standard on an axis transverse to said vertical axis accommodating swinging movement of the wiper over a ball at it is being rotated, and said wiper having a complemental ball engaging wiping area.

5. The invention according to claim 4 and said wiper having a plurality of pivotally interconnected sections.

6. The invention according to claim 4 and means adjustably mounting said standard to the base for positioning various distances transaxially with respect to said vertical axis and said wiper having an adjustable connection to the standard for adjustment axially of said axis to accommodate balls of different diameter.

7. The invention accord-ing to claim 1, and ball guiding and confining means mounted upon the base about said axis, said ball guiding means comprising pairs of elements arranged in VS, each pair of elements having lower ends pivotally interconnected on a substantially horizontal axis and having ball engaging means at their upper ends, said elements of the respective pairs adapted to be adjusted varying distances apart at their upper ends in accordance with the size of the ball supported upon the ball driving and supporting means.

8. The invention according to claim 7 and said ball engaging means comprising bumpers ofelastomer material.

9. A portable bowling ball cleaning device for carrying in an openable and closable container, said device having a base portion for mounting upon the bottom of the container, a motor driven transmission supported from the base above the bottom of the container, a drive shaft extending upwardly from the transmission through the base, a ball supporting suction cup of elas-to-mer material on the shaft for releasable connection to the ball, yieldable guide means on the base for embracing a ball and holding it away from the sides of the container, a ball-wiper supported from the base in the upper portion of the container, and said ball-wiper having a plurality of sections .foldably interconnected for storage in the container and to accommodate ingress and egress of a ball into the device.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Mudra 15-211 Kennedy 15-2168 Knipp 15-211 Mead'ors 15-268 Gahlant 1521.1 Becord 15-21.1 Glantz 1597X CHARLES A. WILLM'UTH, Primary Examiner. 'LEON G. MACHLIN, Assistant Examiner. 

